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Lessons in Power
Mrs. Stewart s naturally rosy cheeks turned ghostly pale. When he told me about those boys and
what they d done I wanted to go out and strangle them with my bare hands. Or have them pilloried in
Trafalgar Square. She began to shake, the emotions she felt written on her face and in her trembling hands.
I call myself a devoutly Christian woman, but finding forgiveness in my heart for those two scoundrels is
a real camel-and-the-eye-of-a-needle affair. She breathed deep, trying to look more like her usual,
ebullient self. Has it always happened?
As long as I ve known him. He doesn t suffer for it he once used to be a bit distressed, but
since& He stopped abruptly. How could one say to a devoted mother, even one as open-minded as Helena
Stewart, since your son and I became lovers? Still, it had to be done in some way. Since we became close,
the distress has lessened. He just leaves us and then returns. Orlando studied his fingers.
Do you know, I should have realised. Whenever storms were in the offing, he took himself off to his
room. We thought he was frightened of them and didn t want us to know, him being too proud to admit it.
Silly goose. Mrs. Stewart sighed, no longer with the air of a strong and capable woman, just a vulnerable,
troubled, loving mother. Shall I tell him that I know? I might be able to help him if it happens again.
Better not. I don t think that he would want you to know, not if he hasn t told you already. Orlando
felt pained to speak so candidly. He adored this woman, admired her enormously, but he knew that he
couldn t entirely share this deepest of secrets yet. He would regard it as my betraying his trust.
He would, and that would be heartbreaking. Mrs. Stewart rummaged for her hankie, dabbing at her
eyes. He was such a lovely baby. Perfect, you know. I m well aware that every parent thinks that of their
child but he really was a little smasher and he was so adorable growing up. Fourth child, totally indulged,
all he d known was love and comfort. For him to go out into the world, and that to happen& The tears
were streaming down her face, a visage no less lovely for the wrinkles that all the smiling and laughing
over the years had brought.
Orlando dabbed at her tears with his handkerchief. It s awful, I know. I wish I d been at that school
so I could have done something.
If I d known what was going on I d have stormed down there and thrashed them with my bare hands,
the pair of them. And the housemaster with them, because he must have had an inkling. Such a nasty man, I
never liked him. Orlando s expressive face gave away that he knew something of that too but his mother-
in-law didn t choose to pursue it. I should have known when he came home that first holiday afterwards.
The spark had gone. I thought it was just adolescence, especially when he seemed to grow out of it after a
few years and seemed happy again. Why did he take so long to tell us?
Orlando patted her hand, thinking all the time of how he d never been this close to his own mother.
She d never allowed him to be so close. He s strong, Mrs. Stewart, but he s not superhuman. He had to
find the right time and place. He d probably been screwing his courage to the sticking place for years.
Orlando felt the tears burning his own eyes and employed his already wet linen to clear them. It s all been
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Charlie Cochrane
stirred up a bit recently. This case that we re looking into; the man who was killed was one of those boys
and one of the prime suspects is the other. It s all a bit too close for comfort.
Mrs. Stewart fixed him with her watery gaze. Then give it up, Orlando. I won t have him upset like
this. Tell the people involved anything you like, or let me tell them. Better still give me the name of this
other suspect and I ll go and see him. Her hands began to shake again and Orlando clasped them. He d
never seen Mrs. Stewart so distressed, so lost for the appropriate word.
You know I can t do any of those things. Jonty is determined that we see this case through he feels
that it s essential to his recovery to pursue the affair, no matter where it leads. Please don t mention it to
him. Let him, let us, deal with things.
But he s my boy. It s a mother s duty to look after her own. The old fight and spirit was beginning
to reassert itself and while Orlando was pleased to see it, he wasn t keen to be in an altercation with his
lover s dear mama.
I appreciate that, but he s mine, too. Their eyes met, like two stags about to vie for ownership of the
hinds.
For a moment it seemed like Mrs. Stewart was about to give Orlando a piece of her mind, but she
smiled and reached across to kiss his cheek. Of course he is and I shouldn t interfere. I trust no one with
him as well as I trust you. Just look after him, eh?
Have you ever known me not to?
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Chapter Six
Jonty? Orlando didn t usually knock, making do with barging into his friend s room unannounced,
hoping to catch him unawares. On this occasion he not only tapped at the door, but tentatively poked his
head around it.
Hello, sweetheart. Come in and stop making a draught.
Orlando shut the door carefully behind him then wandered across to the huge brass bed, where Jonty
lay looking like a schoolboy in his striped pyjamas and with his hair all fluffed up from being washed. It
was a sight which filled him with thoughts even more tender than those he d entered the room with.
Orlando ruffled his locks. Feeling better?
Much, thank you. Have you been chin-wagging with Mama?
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